For Byrne Baby, You Can Make

At the tender age of 24, she's facing a fight that would make most adults crumble. Becca is fighting for the life of her 7-month-old son, Geoffrey.

Geoffrey was born in August with a deadly liver disease a condition that will require a liver transplant if he is to survive (see story on page 12A).

After months of medical treatment, Becca has picked up her life and moved her son to a hotel near the University of Southern California Medical Center where Geoffrey's been a frequent visitor to the intensive care unit.

Insurance is covering most of the medical bills while the baby is in the hospital. But when he's discharged, it's back to the hotel, where he and his mother await a suitable donor. And that wait could take months.

In the meantime, Becca and her family are ringing up some pretty hefty bills for things that insurance won't take care of things like a place to stay, food, diapers ... the things we take for granted on a daily basis.

Once a donor is found, Becca and son will have to remain in California for a few months, where Geoffrey will have blood tests as often as five times a day to make sure he's not rejecting his new liver.

It's going to be a long haul for this young mother and her son. And though she has the support of her grandmother Dixie Jones, who's been staying with her, Becca could use the help of her community as well.

Benefits have already been held for the Byrne baby, and more are planned, like the one Saturday at Cactus Flats in Tonto Basin.

If you can't make the fund-raisers, you can still make a donation by stopping by Wells Fargo and making your donation to the Geoffrey Byrne Fund, account No. 1003739826.